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The days leading into the Indianapolis 500 traditionally feature a handful of the biggest short-track open-wheel races of the season, and that was certainly the case this year. Tracy Hines capped it off by winning Saturday night's 67th Night Before the 500 USAC Mopar National Midget Series race, passing leader Kyle Larson exiting turn four at the 0.686-mile asphalt Lucas Oil Raceway oval and taking the checkered flag first for his 30th USAC National Midget Series victory.

The same night a few miles to the north of Indianapolis, Brian Tyler grabbed his second victory in the 64th-annual Little 500 sprint-car race at Anderson Speedway.

On Friday night, the action was at the historic Indiana State Fairgrounds, with Jerry Coons winning the Hoosier Hundred Traxxas USAC Silver Crown Series race for the second consecutive year.

Bud Kaeding won Thursday's Hulman Classic for the USAC National Sprint Car Series at the Terre Haute (Ind.) Action Track. Jason Blonde topped the Must See Xtreme Sprint Car Series event that opened the week at Anderson Speedway on Wednesday.

Owens earned $30,000 for winning the 20th running of the race sanctioned by the Lucas Oil Dirt Late Model Series. It was the 31st victory in the series for the defending champion and points leader.

Red hot

World of Outlaws Late Model Series points leader Darrell Lanigan went on a Memorial Day weekend tear, winning on Friday at Ohio's Wayne County Speedway and following that victory with a dominant performance in the inaugural Jackpot 100 at West Virginia's Tyler County Speedway.

Lanigan, who turns 42 on June 3, earned $25,150 for his 30th career World of Outlaws Late Model Series triumph in the first event for the series at the quarter-mile bullring.

“The purse tonight was unbelievable for a one-day show,” said Lanigan. “How many times do you see a $25,000-to-win one-day show? That's unbelievable. It was a great show, and I think it's gonna grow every year.”

Battle rages

The World of Outlaws Sprint Car Series championship fight got a little closer on Friday night at the Dirt Track near Charlotte, N.C.

Joey Saldana claimed his third victory of the season, while points leaders Steve Kinser and Sammy Swindell struggled throughout the program. Donny Schatz finished second and Craig Dollansky drove from 21st to finish third.

As a result, all five drivers left the Concord, N.C., four-tenths-mile dirt track separated by only 59 points.

Kinser, the 20-time series champion, holds the lead by a mere 12 points over Schatz. Swindell is third, 34 points behind the leader, with Saldana fourth, another point behind Swindell. Dollansky is fifth, 59 points down.